title: Sexuality and the satisfaction of sexual needs. A study on the attitudes of aged home-nursing clients.
abstract: This article discusses conceptions of sexuality and the satisfaction of sexual needs in a sample of aged home nursing patients (N = 50) in a small rural town in Finland. The purpose of the study, which was carried out as part of a nursing development project in the form of action research, was to gain a deeper understanding of the satisfaction of basic human needs and problems of need-satisfaction in aged people, particularly in the domain of sexual needs. The data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire, which was designed primarily on the basis of the need theories of Yura & Walsh and Orem. Negative attitudes towards sexual needs were found in more than half of the aged respondents; they did not consider it proper for aged people to have an active sex life. One-quarter felt that sexual needs and desires were shameful and sinful. Only less than one-quarter had positive attitudes towards sex. The majority of the respondents felt that they could freely and confidently talk about sex with the nursing staff, but only less than one-quarter were willing to do so. Almost all had some need to show affection to another person. The majority accepted their own self-image, but half were not satisfied with their physical appearance.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paunonen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Häggman-Laitila
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009735:Nursing Homes; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires